“He’s back in the States,” Coop said.

Nick was silent for several moments. He took a few bites of food, not tasting it, eating on autopilot as his head spun.

“What does that mean?” Nick finally asked.

“He’s been back for six weeks, living in Montana. I’m trying to get more information, but I don’t understand why he’s not trying to get ahold of us. He’s not even pursuing the stipulations of the will anymore.”

That was another contention among the brothers. Their father had left them all ultimatums upon his death. The four brothers had told their mother they wouldn’t comply, but then life had happened, and whether they’d wanted to or not, they were doing exactly what their father had requested with his final words―leading more respectable lives, settling down―maturing. Coop and Mav had gotten married like their father had wanted. Nick and Ace were the only holdouts there, but it wasn’t because of the will that Nick didn’t marry. It was because the thought of settling down with only one woman made a cold sweat break out on his brow. His brothers made the actual act of matrimony seem appealing . . . but he kept going back to the only one woman for the rest of his life part. Damn! That seemed like shackling himself for sure.

“Should we go to him?” Nick asked, deciding he didn’t want to focus on wedded bliss any more than he absolutely had to.

It was Cooper’s time to be quiet. He pushed the rest of his food away, not able to even pretend he had the stomach to continue eating. He was the eldest of the brothers, and therefore always felt like he had to take on the brunt of the responsibility.

“I think we need to do that, but let’s get some more information first. I think he might be mixed up in some shady dealings,” Coop said with a sad sigh.

“Why does it have to be shady dealings?” Nick asked.

“Because he’s been avoiding us. And now we find out he’s back in the States and won’t have anything to do with us? We don’t ever see him anymore. To me that looks like shame,” Coop said.

“We don’t have enough information to determine that,” Nick insisted. Why was he the only one defending Ace?

“I’ve used every connection I have, and I still can’t get anywhere,” Mav pointed out. “It’s not that I want to think the worst. He’s just not leaving us much of a choice anymore.”

Nick shook his head. “No way. I don’t care what he’s done over the past few years. He’s still Ace, and there’s no way he would ever do anything illegal.”

Nick and Ace had always been close. He had to have faith in his brother even if the rest of their family had lost theirs. Maybe he would go in secret and find out what was happening―that was, when he could walk again.

“There’s not an official investigation,” Cooper said. “It’s just from some of the things I’ve been hearing from investigators. He can’t even be pulled up in the system.”

“That doesn’t even make sense,” Mav said. “Everyone leaves a paper trail whether they want to or not.”

“I’m just telling you what I found,” Coop said, holding up his hands.

“What does Uncle Sherman have to say about it?” Nick asked.

“He says to have faith in our brother,” Mav said.

“Then maybe that’s exactly what we should do,” Nick said, his voice gruff. “I’m just saying there has to be more behind this. He’s our brother, and I’m choosing to believe that he’s still him―even if he got lost a bit along the way. We’ve all been lost and we’re okay now. Let’s have the same faith in him.”

“I want to, I really do. But so much time has passed. I just don’t know what to think now,” Cooper said.

“We stick together no matter what,” Nick said. It was pretty cut and dry in his book.

Coop shook his head. “We can’t support something illegal.”

“I’m not suggesting that,” Nick snapped. “I’m just saying there has to be a reason behind what’s been happening. I’m going to do my own research.”

“Let’s talk to Sherman, and we’ll go from there,” Coop said.

Nick was irritated at how logical Cooper was being. When it came to family, it wasn’t always black and white. Maybe it was time for Ace to quit hiding and ask for help with whatever was going on. Had he lost his faith in his family? If so, they’d have to figure out a way to restore it.

“I’m sorry we upset you,” Coop said.

“Yeah, we know how delicate you are,” Mav added.

Nick glared at them both. He was injured, not incompetent.

“Quit treating me differently. It’s pissing me off. Of course I’m upset. Ace is our brother,” Nick spat out.

“None of us are giving up,” Coop reassured Nick.

Nick knew that. His shoulders dropped as the anger drained from him. He smiled at his brothers. Cooper and Mav both nodded. Nick pushed away from the table and went over to his large windows. He could see the waters churning and the sky flashing, but his earlier excitement over the storm had evaporated.

It had already been a long day, and it wasn’t even yet noon. It would be a long while before the hits stopped coming at him from every direction. For now, he needed to simply learn how to roll with the punches.

CHAPTER TWO

Chloe Reynolds stepped up to the monstrous-size house on San Juan Island. She wasn’t happy about being pushed into taking the job for the wealthy, arrogant helicopter pilot for the US Coast Guard, but at the same time, she hadn’t had a lot of choice.